The present invention relates to the automotive repair art. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool useful for bending sheet metal in automotive body repair. The tool of the present invention is designed in such a way as to permit facile bending of sheet metal edges without damage to the body of the automobile.
In the past, a variety of hand tools has been utilized in automotive body repair for the purpose of bending sheet metal edges. A commonly used tool has been the well-known channel lock pliers which, while effective to bend the metal edges, causes detrimental denting and scratching of the metal surfaces. Another known means of bending sheet metal edges has involved the use of a hammer and dolly. Drawbacks of this method include overbending, flattening and distortion of the metal edges necessitating the use of plastic fillers or other cosmetic remedies to repair the resulting damage to the auto body. Other hand tools have been developed for specific metal bending applications, but none of these tools exhibits the advantageous features of the present invention.